Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must now drop Spurs dud who lost 88% duels vs Brentford
Tottenham Hotspur’s crucial 2-0 victory over Brentford on Sunday may prove to be the result Thomas Frank desperately needed to ignite his tenure in North London.
The win, only Spurs’ second league triumph at home this season, ended a long stretch of frustration at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Prior to beating Brentford, the club’s only home success in the Premier League had come against Burnley on the opening weekend—a distant memory for supporters who have grown anxious about the direction of the campaign.
Despite the relief provided by the three points, the performance itself offered a mixed picture. While the result gives Frank a much-needed foundation as he looks to settle into life in North London, it also highlighted persistent issues within the squad. Several players once again failed to meet expectations, suggesting the manager may now be edging closer to identifying which individuals truly fit into his long-term vision.
Spurs’ underperformers against Brentford
One of the most notable disappointments was Rodrigo Bentancur, a midfielder usually recognised for his composure and consistency. Over recent weeks his form has dipped significantly, and the Brentford match only further emphasised that slide.
The Uruguayan lasted 65 minutes before Frank replaced him, having surrendered possession six times—an uncharacteristically high figure for a player who typically excels in ball retention. He failed to complete a single dribble, was beaten once in a one-on-one situation, and was comfortably overshadowed by the youthful energy of Archie Gray, who outperformed him across multiple metrics.
Bentancur was far from the only player struggling to establish control. Djed Spence, deployed at full-back, endured one of his poorest displays at home this season. Despite completing the full 90 minutes, Spence came out on top in only 40% of his ten duels and did not register a single successful tackle. Offensively, his delivery was equally ineffective, with all four of his crosses failing to find a teammate—illustrating difficulties at both ends of the pitch.
The Spurs player most in danger of being dropped
Since arriving at Tottenham, Thomas Frank has frequently rotated his squad in search of the right balance and combinations. From experimenting with defensive pairings to deploying players in unfamiliar roles, the Dane has been unafraid to tweak the system in an effort to revive Spurs’ season.
Sunday’s win did provide encouraging signs—particularly the team’s defensive organisation and ability to limit Brentford’s chances—but the individual inconsistencies within the lineup were impossible to ignore.
One player who particularly struggled was Randal Kolo Muani, who produced one of his least effective performances in a Spurs shirt. Operating on the left wing instead of his preferred central role, the Frenchman looked uncomfortable and disconnected from the flow of the game. The positional switch clearly hindered his influence.
Kolo Muani played 74 minutes before being withdrawn, and although his work rate cannot be questioned, his output fell well short of what Spurs needed in the final third. He recorded just 40 touches—fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who had 45—and failed all five of his attempted dribbles. None of his crosses reached their intended targets, and when a significant scoring opportunity did fall his way, he was unable to convert.
Out of possession, the numbers were equally alarming. Kolo Muani won only two of his 15 duels, meaning he lost 88% of his physical battles. For a forward expected to provide energy and aggression, those figures underline how off-pace he was throughout the match.
While the 27-year-old loanee has been a serviceable option for Frank this season, this performance stands out as one he would rather forget. Given the depth of Spurs’ attacking options and Frank’s willingness to make tactical adjustments, the Frenchman may find himself at risk of being rotated out of the starting lineup unless his form improves.
A positive result—but a clear warning
Though Tottenham supporters will take satisfaction from securing a badly needed home win, the match also reinforced the importance of placing players in roles where they can succeed. For Kolo Muani, that almost certainly means a return to a more central attacking position.
Frank now faces the challenge of building on this performance while addressing the shortcomings that persisted throughout the match. The victory over Brentford may have offered him a turning point, but it also handed him another puzzle to solve as Spurs continue their pursuit of consistency in the Premier League.